Why have I not posted in awhile?

Because, really, there's not been a whole lot to post about. I've been working on a schedule for the next year, have to figure out all of the wedding projects I need to get done and schedule them, schedule upcoming shows, big projects, etc... All very dull, but very important for me to be doing. It looks liks this next year is going to be very heavy on wedding projects, and light on new paintings (sorry guys!)

However, for those interested in DIY projects, I'll be sharing those with you over the next year. There will be new art, just not as much as I'd prefer, and also lots of new decals.

Christmas is quickly upon us, and we've got a lot of driving to do. Heading to Houston this weekend, we'll be having gifts at my Dad's on Christmas eve morning, our annual Christmas Eve party at my Mom's, then gifts at my Mom's on Christmas morning. Then we jump in the car and drive 6 hours to Dallas for gifts on Christmas Evening at David's parents. Then, the baby will be visiting her Grandpa for a week, and after that we'll finally have Christmas at home.

While the ink drys

I love painting, and I love all of the different things that each medium brings to the table in art. Oil painting is the one that I have the least experience with, but I really enjoyed the malleability of the paint, the ability to blend and smooth. Acrylic is so versatile, it works not only like itself, but with the correct mediums it can be smooth and workable like oils, or you can use it to tint over areas like watercolor, slowly building color. Watercolor took me a while to get used to, since I was most familiar with acrylic, but once I grasped the basic idea of it, I took off running. I loved the idea of building color, of lots of pale layers building to create impact. All three of these mediums are very workable, they're fairly forgiving, and mistakes are pretty easy to cover.

My second love, after watercolor, is ink. (Shh... don't tell watercolor, but ink is slowly creeping closer to my #1 spot). Ink is not forgiving. Once it is down, that's where it lay. While this may be frustrating for some, I greet it as a necessary element of the process. I absolutely love the little surprises, the trails in the paper the ink will travel, the beautiful and unpredictable way it spreads and tendrils through water.

I sat up last night as I was trying to sleep, and I quickly sketched out a piece of a face, hidden in windswept hair, the slightest curl of a smile on her lips, and I knew that she'd be perfect for today. As soon as Morrigan laid down to nap, I got to work. I was so excited to be working on this piece that I got a bit ahead of myself. I blocked in the figure with just a bit of tinted ink in the background, and then set to working detail in her hair. As I let that dry, I moved to painting a bit of the form in solid black. The silhouette met with a piece of background that was still damp, and the ink began to tendril out into her pale, unformed surroundings. It took only a moment of wide eyed surprise before I jumped to work, blending, adding more ink, moving the paper... the background got a lot of form out of it, all unplanned up till this point, all enchanting.

I pulled out some special paper for this piece, a beautiful cotton watercolor paper that I've been saving for just the right thing. At $40 a book (20 pages), I'm always hesitant to use it, but something about her demanded special attention, so out it came.

I'll most likely have her to share with you this weekend, so keep your eyes peeled!

Black Friday Sale

Anything purchased starting Friday 11/28 at 12:01 AM through Monday 12/01 at 11:59 PM will recieve free shipping plus some free goodies with your order! Just purchase as usual, and I'll refund the the shipping fee through PayPal.

Check out my Etsy shop

If you'd like one of my original paintings, I have to following available:
For Absent Friends (8x10 Framed - $350)
Resting with Angels (8x10 Framed $300)
Victoria and Valentine (8x10 Unframed $300)
And my new, beautiful painting Thy Raven Wings (9x12 Unframed $300)

Go ahead, make me an offer! You'll still get free shipping and some freebies if I accept it!

Have questions? Let me know!

Thy Raven Wings - New Painting!

My new painting is finally finished and listed on Etsy! It's been so long since I've been able to finish anything, since life has dished me up a good deal of crazy these past few months. This was something I started the other day in an attempt to get back on track, and I was so entranced by the image that started to develop under my hands that I felt completely revitalized. I think I'm finally getting my art mojo back ;)

This painting is available through my Etsy shop as an 8x10 print. The original is also available unframed for $300 OBO. It's inkwash and watercolor on watercolor paper. (The original measures 9x12).

Check it out!

I'm getting married!

David proposed to me on my birthday! Now instead of just calling him "The Hubby" I'll mean it too. The proposal was very sweet, and came on the third anniversary of the day we met :D Our wedding day will be October 31, 2009, and we've got a lot to do in the meantime. Of course, since I'm an avid DIYer, I'll be making a lot of the things myself.

So far, my list is:
All of my jewelry (choker and tiara)
My bouquet
Bridesmaid's bouquets (3)
Masks for the parents and wedding party (13!)
Invitations
Less detailed masks for guests who want them (about 50, but I'll just be painting plastic masks for this part)
Favors (haven't decided yet)

I've also scoped out a few Etsy shops that I'll be purchasing from! We're having a masquerade party for the reception. I think it's all going to be a blast.

A bit of catch up!

I've wanted to post so many times over the past few weeks, but I didn't want to bury our lovely dolls until their auction was over! They should be going in the mail today to meet their new families, no later than tomorrow (trying to get car insurance sorted out before I leave the house... it would be my luck).

My birthday is tomorrow! YAY! David's got something special planned :) I'm closer to 30 than 20 now :P



Halloween was a lot of fun. Morrigan is old enough now to go trick or treating, so we dressed her up and took her to the mall where she could run and play with the other little ones and go store to store for candy.

We had such a good time together! I made her little tutu, and we got her wings at the Renaissance Festival last weekend. She was too shy to walk right up to the people for candy, so David and I "flew" her up to each one. She's put her hands up and we'd pick her up and make flying sounds... she loved it :P



I have been such an art slacker recently. Still having a hard time getting things moving. Making another effort today to get some small things done and hopefully give my creativity a kick start.